The issue isn't about use and how you learn a new piece; the issue is about the distribution of the copyrighted material. Computers have made copying and sharing so easy, that the temptation to do so is ever present. When it was a printed book, it took a lot to copy it and give it to someone else. You didn't just push a couple of buttons and say there you go.

Are there MGU files with melodies out there? Sure there are, just like there are video files of top-run movies. The internet has made it easy to access such things, but that doesn't make it legal.

That's why I think Bob Norton has the best solution. Since chord progressions can't be copyrighted and BIAB is a legal program to work, he gets you 75% of the way there. All you need to do then is buy the legal fake book (for which royalties have already been taken care of) that goes along with his fake disks (and he even shows you where to get them), then spend some time either putting the melody in yourself, or just playing from it. If you can't do it, find a friend to do it; heck, you might find your friend likes playing music too.

That keeps everything legal, all parties properly compensated, but still minimizes the work you need to do.

Should copyright laws be changed? I think so. I think copyright in the US today is way too long. Everyone benefits when stuff gets into the public domain. Copyright for 70 years after the death of the composer; come on. That's ridiculous.

Patents are only good for about twenty years (depending on the type you get). But if I create some sort of intellectual property today at the age of 15 and live to 100, then the copyright is good for 85+70=155 years. The United States as a country is only 238 years old. And everything created prior to 1923 (91 years ago) is in the public domain.

And the latest round of copyright law increasess was the result of Walt Disney Company worrying about the mouse coming into the public domain and were able to quietly slip the increase from 50 to 70 years in with what is known as the Sonny Bono law (yes, that Sonny Bono). The irony of course, is that much of Disney's well know music (at least in the early years) was the result of using public domain music, so as not to have to pay royalties themselves.

How about a copyright for 20 years, renewable twice? If you can't make your money in 60 years, well it probably ain't gonna happen. But if you don't renew it, it goes into the public domain after 20 years. And with the internet, it's piece of cake to verify the status of any piece.

My $0.02 worth, and decreasing in value every day.

John

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